Star Light, Star Bright
by Lioness's Heart
Summary: Galen Marek never thought he would find love or true friendship in his life. Juno Eclipse was the reason he stopped being a slave and started being his own person.
1. Set 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars. I do not own The Force Unleashed (other than the particular copy of the game I bought a while back). I do not own Galen Marek/Starkiller, Juno Eclipse, or any other characters that show up here. They are the property of George Lucas and Lucasfilm…neither of which I am associated with, unfortunately.**

**This is something I wrote for UDC5 (the fifth Ultimate Drabble Challenge for those of you who don't know what it is) on the Jedi Council Forums (boards . theforce . net), right after I played through The Force Unleashed for the first time. I fell in love with the characters of Starkiller and Juno. That's the main reason I started these. I'm certainly not done with them and it will probably take me ages to post all of them, but I've really enjoyed writing these characters. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy and please don't forget to review!

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**1. Doctor**

"Hold still, please," the med droid's cold, monotonous voice and frigid metal fingers cause the boy to flinch. The dull ache in his arm whispered a faint melody of greater pain when the chilled machine touched him.

He recoiled, trying to remove his burned arm from the droid's care. Then a grip like durasteel clamped down on his shoulder. His head jerked up to see his black-cloaked mentor towering above him, mechanical breathing echoing too loudly in the ward.

The youngster flinched again, ready to be dealt yet another punishing blow. Instead, only the frozen touch reached for him again.

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**2. Companion**

"Set course for Corellia," Starkiller's voice told her. Juno glanced at him, blue eyes searching his expression. He did not pay her a bit of attention as she laid in the course.

He had changed so much in the aftermath of Vader's betrayal of him. He did not seem to realize it. Even when she had caught him speaking to his former master, she had seen it in him. It was not immediate, but it was there.

It was like he was just starting to believe that what he was doing was a good thing. She was proud of him.

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**3. Time**

They had spent only months together. All she had done was fly him to where he needed to go.

There was something about Juno Eclipse that did not sit as he had expected it to. Perhaps it was because she, unlike the last seven pilots, was a woman. He did not see other people very often, let alone someone as beautiful as she was.

She had been branded a traitor because of him... She had only been doing what she had been told. Her job probably did not even matter to her, as long as she was serving the Empire...

**

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4. Space**

Juno missed him when he was gone.

She missed being able to talk to him, even if it was a short conversation. She missed watching him stare at the blurred starscape when they were in hyperspace.

She missed _him_. The lack of his presence had left an empty hole in her chest. She would turn around and expect to see him standing there sometimes. Other times, she would hear a sound in the _Rogue Shadow_ and think it was him for some reason.

Sometimes she forgot he was dead.

Galen had been a good man. He had not deserved death.

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**5. Dimensions**

There was a time when the hulking figure of his former master had struck fear in Starkiller's heart.

The tall, black-cloaked cyborg was no longer someone he was afraid of. Vader was nothing more than a Sith, and he was only human. Mostly.

He was not afraid anymore. A bright light guided him, reminding him of who he had become.

The battle was easy. The war that he had started was difficult. He did not expect to survive this battle, but he would save his allies. He could do it.

He would do it. No matter what. He couldn't fail.


	2. Set 2

**I have to say, I love these drabbles. I love all of them, though, so I'm being biased. Either way, please don't forget to review!

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**6. Island**

He returned to the _Rogue Shadow_ tired and beaten.

Juno's first reaction after getting them into orbit and away from the planet was to look over at him and wish desperately that he would let her care for his wounds.

He had scorch marks all over his body from the lightsaber of Maris Brood and bloody scratches from the rancor. She did not even know what they were from, but she knew they had to hurt. His skin was reddened, blistering around the scorch marks.

All he did was sit down heavily in the co-pilot's chair and close his eyes.

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**7. Survival**

Their lightsabers met in a sizzling clash.

This was no longer master and apprentice sparing, if what they had previously done could even be called that. This was a battle to the death, a fight between mortal enemies.

Vader had betrayed him far too many times. He was done listening to his former master. His life was his own, not Vader's to command.

His open defiance changed everything. The dutiful apprentice he had once been was gone. He was no longer that man – he was Galen Marek, not just Starkiller. He knew his name now; he was his own person.

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**8. Lost**

"_It was you, Juno."_

Kota's words rang in her ears for several long moments after they left the blind Jedi's mouth.

She did not quite understand why, of all thing, she had been the single light in the heart of Starkiller. Though she had loved him, she was not sure that he had reciprocated her feelings. Their first and only kiss had been in the heat of the moment, when she knew he was not coming back.

Had it truly been her that had been his light? Had he loved her?

"_I guess I'll never have to live it down."

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**9. Other**

Starkiller learned very early on that there were few ways to please his master.

The only way was complete and utter success. He had to complete his missions to the letter. If he did not, he was punished.

For a long time, he had no alternative. It was all in black and white, an easily defined line in between.

That was how it was for a long time with Juno, too. She was either his pilot or his friend. She could not be anything in between for him. He would not let her be anything else.

Vader's betrayal changed that.

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**10. Flashback**

Pain seared through his chest unbidden. Starkiller could almost feel the heat of the blade penetrating his flesh. The heat consumed him, flashing images and feelings though his mind.

He sat up on his bunk an instant later, hitting his head on the one above him. He winced, then sighed, leaning back. He moved a hand to his chest, touching the scar that remained from where his master had literally stabbed him in the back.

It was a long moment before he rose, taking care not to wake Juno in her bunk. She should rest, even if he could not.

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**Posted 2/17/11**


	3. Set 3

**It's been far too long since I posted a set of these. That's life, though. It kind of gets in the way of posting and writing at the worst possible times. Either way, don't forget to review!**

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**11. Far**

Juno Eclipse's hands flew over the instrument panels of the _Rogue Shadow_ even while paralyzing fear gripped her chest.

The instant they were in hyperspace, it was gone, leaving numbness in its wake. Galen was gone. Dead. She had seen his final moments as she was maneuvering the ship away. Kota moved in moments later, putting a hand on her shoulder. She ignored it.

It wasn't fair – not at all. She did not want to be alone like that. Not after all the time they had spent together.

It was too late, though, she told herself. He wasn't coming back.

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**12. Prisoners**

They were not so different when he actually thought about it. They never had been. They still were not.

Both he and Juno had been trapped by the Empire without knowing it. Secretly, they had both yearned for freedom. Perhaps, Galen pondered, if they had not been put in such situations, would they would have had happy lives. Perhaps there would have been a chance for them to know each other under different circumstances.

At least she would survive this. He knew that he would not. He just hoped that she would be safe. Then he would be at peace.

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**13. Peacekeepers**

Starkiller's job proved to be tedious at times. Hunting down Jedi in Vader's stead seemed to be a difficult one.

Whenever he came back from these missions of his, Juno found herself wondering exactly what it was that caused the mood swings the young man seemed prone to.

He had come back with a different mix of emotions for every Jedi he faced. He never lost. He did his job. It did not matter how battered or bruised he came out of it – Starkiller always got his target. She found that she could admire that much – he never gave up.

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**14. Uncharted**

The instant their lips touched, Galen knew what he was doing. He knew what he was fighting for. Years upon years of having no purpose other than to be Vader's slave came crashing down around him.

He did not need that anymore. He truly knew what he wanted and what he needed to do. Now he just needed to do it. Unfamiliar ground or not, it was necessary. He knew that Juno understood.

When he stepped away and watched the _Rogue Shadow _disappear into the stars, he knew that was the last time he would ever see her.

"_Goodbye, Juno…"_

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**15. Scape**

They sat in cockpit of the ship for several moments, just gazing at the city planet. Oranges and pinks tinted the reflections of entire sections of Coruscant different colors. It was a beautiful sight, particularly when it was just the two of them.

Starkiller sat silently in his chair, his expression brooding and dark. Juno glanced at him as she guided the ship into the atmosphere.

Neither of them spoke as they descended. The silence was tense. She wanted to ask why they had returned to the heart of Imperial power when they were on the run… But she couldn't.

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**Posted 5/27/11**


	4. Set 4

**I finally have another set done and ready to post. It's taken a while, but the muse didn't really want to write one of them in particular. I'm pretty happy with these, though. Anyway, don't forget to review when you're done reading!  
**

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**16. Smart**

There were times - many of them, if Juno was honest - that she wondered if what they were doing was intelligent at all. She knew they were doing the right thing, but it was the traps she kept watching Starkiller walk straight into that caused her to think.

He had just returned from the incident (if anyone could call it that) in Cloud City. He was just as beaten as he always seemed to be.

Now, he sat in the copilot's seat, his expression brooding. Just like always. She let out an inward sigh, going back to her work.

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**17. 99**

Days had passed since she had walked this starship without being alone. Days had passed and months had gone by. The _Salvation_ was quite, fulled only with the sounds of the personel talking in the background.

She could not hear the heavy footsteps that had followed her for so long. Perhaps it was peace at least. Perhaps not. She could never tell. His ghost haunted her memory. If only she could have done something to save him. If only, if only… She couldn't save him. It had been his choice, not hers. He had given his life knowing the consequences.

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**18. Chief**

"You should really get that looked at by the mechanic."

A deep voice made Juno whirl, her long blond hair whipping behind her. A handsome young man stood behind her, clad in the same uniform that adorned her slender body. Juno flushed, her eyes dropping to the piece of machinery in her lap.

"I'm doing just fine, thanks," she replied. He wasn't her boss. He was a cadet, too, not the chief mechanic, that was for sure. Besides, she knew _exactly_ what she was doing, while she was certain that he didn't. At least, he didn't look like he did…

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**19. Agents**

What were they but the hand of Vader? What had he truly done that had merited anything?

His lightsaber flashed, humming in the too-still air around it. His heart pounded too loudly in his ears. His time had come.

This was his destiny. This was his only chance. He could save Juno and the rebels, or he could become the despicable creature that obeyed nothing but the Emperor's dark commands.

Galen Marek made his choice. Face forward, knowing what he was doing. He threw himself in front of Kota, knowing that this was the last thing he would ever do.

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**20. Shoe**

She always heard him when he was angry, even when he was in the back of the ship. When he kicked something over out of frustration, she knew what he was doing back there.

But, Juno never mentioned it. She never brought up how she knew he was frustrated or upset. She had seen him upset before, annoyed perhaps, but there was one thing she never wanted to see: Starkiller when he was angry. That scared her, unlike his commonly surly demeanor.

She would hate to be the one in his situation, she decided. She was glad that she wasn't.

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**Posted 7/9/11**


	5. Set 5

**Finally have another set up! This set contains the drabble that is currently my absolute favorite out of the ones I've written - #25, which is sort of a different spin on the Dark Side ending of the game. I don't know why I like it so much, but I do. That might be one for expansion later, or I might return to it. Anything is possible...  
**

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**21. Super**

He did not know how he got out of some things alive. For all his confidence in his own skill, Starkiller did have doubts. Perhaps they were not something he could voice or anything, but they were there. He did his best not to notice those feelings at all. If he didn't acknowledge them, they couldn't be real. If they weren't real, he couldn't be weak.

He could never be weak. Not when he had to lead the rebels. He couldn't afford to let Vader have a foothold when it came time to face him. He had to be invincible.

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**22. Bat  
**

The Dark Lord's cloak furled out behind him as he walked toward Starkiller. His lightsaber was ignited and his intent deadly. This was the end for the boy. At least in one sense. He had been ordered to remove his apprentice from the picture.

The instant he impaled the boy, he felt Starkiller's control unravel. Pain and betrayal flooded through the Force.

Despite the years he had spent training the boy, Vader couldn't bring himself to feel sorry for this. It only advanced his plans. The boy was his slave, after all. He was so easy to manipulate. So trusting.

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**23. Wonder  
**

There were moments when Juno wondered exactly how strong Starkiller was. When he came back after a fight was the most common time for those thoughts. He always looked so tired and somber. The flicker in his eyes that came after their escape from the _Empirical_ also caused her to question him. He was so withdrawn that – if she thought about it – she barely knew him.

As time passed, she began to realize that he was changing. He wasn't just Starkiller anymore. He was so much more than that. In the end, he was a hero. More than a hero.

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**24. Hawk  
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His master was watching him. The Apprentice always knew when Vader was watching him. That hard gaze always felt like it was piercing him in the back when he was dueling with Proxy under his master's eye. It was not a good feeling. He did not like it.

But he knew nothing else. He was not allowed to be near many other people. Only those selected by Vader were allowed in his presence. Vader watched him like a hawk, always catching every single little thing that Starkiller did wrong.

There were some days when he wished he could be free.

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**25. Lantern**

The light illuminated his face as he looked at the woman in the cell. Juno Eclipse glared at him. The great traitor.

"I trusted you," she snarled. "I thought you were different! You destroyed everything we worked for!"

Darth Everis smirked at her. "You knew it was my destiny, Juno. Just like I did. It was only a matter of time." Then he turned and walked away from the cell, black robes fluttering behind him.

Kota shook his head in the other corner. "There is no light left in him. He's gone, Juno. Galen is lost to the Dark Side."

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**Posted 8/6/11  
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